


Never Break The Chain

by a_single_plum



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Background Relationships, Billy Hargrove & Maxine "Max" Mayfield Have a Good Relationship, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Good Sibling Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Post-Season/Series 03, Thanksgiving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:41:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27733219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_single_plum/pseuds/a_single_plum
Summary: Thanksgiving in Hawkins, 1985.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove & Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Eleven | Jane Hopper & Billy Hargrove, Eleven | Jane Hopper & Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 34





	Never Break The Chain

**Author's Note:**

> Title is taken from [The Chain](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDG2m5hN1vo) by Fleetwood Mac. 
> 
> The idea for this popped into my head the other day and I jotted it down, but I ran out of time and energy to write it any better. So fair warning, it's a mostly unedited mess of bland, repetitive writing, cliches, OOC-ness and stupid, sappy, sentimental trash. 
> 
> Originally I wasn't going to post at all, but life will be shitty whether I post a dumb fanfic or not, so I decided to toss it out there and maybe someone, somewhere will even find something in it to smile about.
> 
> If you do choose to read, thank you so much and I hope it brings you some happiness. <3

Max set out plates, glasses, and cutlery and mentally reviewed her line of attack. 

She waited until Billy had put the pot of spaghetti in the middle of the table and taken his seat across from her before saying casually, "Mrs. Byers is having Thanksgiving."

Billy scooped up some spaghetti. "Good for her."

"She invited us." Max plucked a noodle from the pot and popped it in her mouth. "All of us."

"I know," Billy said. "Steve told me."

Max smiled. "So you'll go?"

"Nope."

Max reached for the spoon and dumped a pile of spaghetti on her own plate. "Why not?"

"She doesn't want me there," Billy said. "She just feels sorry for me."

Max rolled her eyes. " _You_ feel sorry for you. Steve and Robin will be there, and what about El? You know she wants to see you."

"She sees me plenty," Billy muttered, eyes fixed on his plate.

Max stabbed at her spaghetti, thinking as she chewed. Once Billy had left the hospital and moved into his own place, she'd started coming over a couple times a week to have dinner and hang out. Usually El, Steve, and Robin joined them. It was nice, not that she would ever say that.

She'd been wondering what to do for Thanksgiving, though. Lucas was going to Chicago with his family to visit relatives, and she didn't want her stepbrother to be alone on the holiday anyway.

So when El told her that Mike would be away with his family, too, and that Hopper and Joyce were extending an invitation to everyone who'd been involved with the Upside Down, Max thought it sounded perfect.

She just needed to convince Billy.

"Okay," she said. "It's no big deal. I'll come here. El can come too, and Steve and Robin. Maybe even Will. We'll order pizza."

Billy scowled. "You've got it all planned out, huh, Maxine?"

"Yep." Max set down her fork. "I'm not letting you sit and mope. Either you come with me, or I'm bringing Thanksgiving here."

Billy threw a stray noodle at her. "Bitch."

Max threw the noodle back. "Asshole."

Billy huffed out a long-suffering sigh. "What time am I picking you up?"

*****

Neil tried to insist on a 'family' Thanksgiving, and Max knew better than to argue. Instead she stated matter-of-factly that she was going with Billy to the Byers' for dinner. She didn't need to remind them that was where Chief Hopper lived now, and that the chief was not only her best friend's dad but had also been involved in the same 'mall fire' as Billy. Neither Neil or her mom were thrilled about her plans, but they didn't try to stop her.

She was sitting on the steps when Billy pulled up.

"You didn't have to wait outside." He frowned. "Is everything okay?"

"It's fine." Max shrugged. "I just needed some air. What's this?" She picked up the pie sitting on the seat so she could get in, and once she was settled, she looked more closely at the box. "Apple?"

"It would be rude not to bring something," Billy said flatly. "And everyone likes apple pie."

Apple was her favorite. She looked out the window so Billy wouldn't see her smiling.

They were quiet until they reached the Byers' house. Max marched up the driveway with the pie in her arms, but when she realized her stepbrother wasn't following she went back.

"Billy?" she said.

"I shouldn't have come," he said.

"Everyone's cool with you being here," Max said. "I swear."

Billy didn't look convinced.

Max hugged the pie closer against her chest. "If it's really too much you can leave. Just...try? Please?"

Billy exhaled heavily and gave her a tiny nod. "Okay."

This time he was behind her as she walked up to the door. El answered Max's knock, a googly-eyed turkey headband perched on her thick brown curls and a big smile lighting up her face.

"Hi," she said.

Max grinned. "Hi!"

"Hi," Billy said softly.

Will, Jonathan, Steve, and Robin were sitting on the living room floor around a Monopoly board. They all called out hellos. Joyce popped out of the kitchen to add her own greeting. She welcomed them both warmly and took the pie from Max with a delighted smile.

El pointed at the game board. "Wanna help me bank rob everyone?"

A small smile crossed Billy's face. "I would love to help you bank rob everyone."

Jonathan offered to let Max take over his spot, although he remained the banker.

By the time Joyce announced dinner was ready Steve was stuck in jail, Will had put up a hotel on Vermont Ave, Robin and Max each owned almost half the board, and El and Billy were gloating over the pile of cash they got from landing on Free Parking.

"What luck," Robin said dryly.

El wiped a bit of blood from under her nose and grinned.

Laughing and teasing, they all filed into the dining room, where Joyce and Hopper had set up another small table and extra chairs. Max sat down between El and Billy.

When everyone was seated, Joyce looked around the table.

"I know we're all hungry, and I'm not going to get too mushy. But I do want to say how grateful I am that we're all able to be here today."

Smiling, she reached for Hopper's hand. Hopper took Jonathan's and El took Max's. Max held out her other hand and glanced at Billy.

Billy glanced back at her and gave her a little smile as he took her hand.

The first Thanksgiving after her mom married Neil, she'd thought it would be nice if they all held hands around the table and shared what they were grateful for. Neither Max nor Billy were happy about the idea, but Max was the one who made a fuss and refused to hold hands with her _gross_ stepbrother. Billy was the one who got slapped and sent to his room with a warning about being nicer to his sister.

A lot had changed since then.

El squeezed Max's hand and looked from her to Billy and back, her dark eyes sparkling. 

"Happy."

Max looked around, taking in her stepbrother's bright eyes and soft smile; Steve's equally soft smile and sideways glance aimed in his direction; Robin's joyful expression; Jonathan's quiet happiness; Will trying not to look at his mom and Hopper but unable to hide his grin; and Hopper and Joyce gazing at each other.

"Yeah." Max grinned at El, feeling the warmth of El's and Billy's palms against hers. "Happy."


End file.
